The O.C.'s Marissa Cooper: The Darkness Behind The Beauty

Рет қаралды 48,061

Күн бұрын

At first glance, The O.C.’s Marissa Cooper might seem like the epitome of the ‘poor little rich girl’ trope - she’s gorgeous, lives in a mansion in southern California, and never seems to be having a good time. But the show gave us a chance to see beyond the outer facade of Marissa’s seemingly-perfect life and into the darkness hiding beneath that beautiful surface. Marissa was a complex young woman trying to figure out who she really was in a world that was intent on telling her who she had to be. Let’s take a deeper look at Marissa’s attempts to break out of her gilded cage, find real connections, and grow.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Marissa Cooper
00:42 The O.C.'s Tragic Beauty
03:51 Finding Deeper Connections
09:39 An Early Goodbye
CREDITS
Executive Producers: Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
Chief Creative Director: Susannah McCullough
Producer: Jessica Babineaux
Writer: Jessica Babineaux
Narrator: Charly Bovina
Video Editor: Dan Wolff

Пікірлер: 113

@thetake 6 ай бұрын

WATCH MORE: Alex Dunphy is another teen struggling under the pressure of the world around her and that she puts on her self - though for very different reasons (and, thankfully, with a much better ending.) Check out our video on Modern Family's resident Smart Girl: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bLV1gtudxrXIg6M.html

@sar182 4 ай бұрын

Seeing a teenage girl BEGGING her father to stay with her, and him still choosing to leave to 'find himself' or whatever, was heartbreaking 💔

@7Sensed 6 ай бұрын

Marissa's death still shattered me when watching this video. The scene was one of the most iconic millennial TV moments. It wouldn't have been so without the immense talent of Ben Mckenzie 💔😭 ‼️please please make more videos about shows from the early 2000s - 90210, Desperate Housewives, Castle...

@Annihilated481 6 ай бұрын

Lamest ending ever. I couldn't believe they reused the same scene from season 1 a third time. I didn't even bother with season 4 at all until last year. Seeing how bad it was, it seems I was right.

@randywhite3947 6 ай бұрын

90210 and castle are late 2000s

@yasminbois 5 ай бұрын

spoiler 😩😭😭 I mean it’s been a long time but damn, wasn’t excepting that

@MM-qc9kl 6 ай бұрын

I'm surprised you didn’t cover Trey Atwood sexually assaulting Marissa. It was one of the darkest moments on the show and no doubt in Marissa's life.

@mwahha6965 3 ай бұрын

Yes that and her dating a girl, both were some of the most interesting elements to the show

@EmmaSElisabet 6 ай бұрын

This. I totally agree. I rewatched the O.C. earlier this year and I discovered that the feelings I had about Marissa before weren't fair. I felt like she had more depth and her sadness was fair due to what she went through. I think that re- examining your thoughts on characters can be important, because it may actually reflect your own values changing.

@nathy0308 5 ай бұрын

Yess these were my thoughts too, how I'd like to go back at watch it as an adult. It may do some interesting shifting for me

@sar182 4 ай бұрын

This is what happened to me too. Watching as a teenager, I thought Marissa was spoiled and whiny. Watching as an adult, it felt like seeing a small child desperately wanting a hug from a parent and not getting one. So well written and acted, she's now my favourite character

@mwahha6965 3 ай бұрын

Same happened to me, I couldn’t relate to her then but watching back I could :(

@cammyr12Productions 6 ай бұрын

Her life is like a lana del rey song

@0104brit 6 ай бұрын

The way Season 3 was going for Marissa, her dying at the end of the season made sense. It really felt like Ryan and Sunmer were truly growing that season, while Marissa just felt stuck...

@azmodanpc 6 ай бұрын

Yeah, they did the on-off relationship with Ryan one too many times and it always seemed they repeated the same trope every season after the 1st one. Killing her off and showing Ryan trying to get over her with Summer was a good plot imho.

@SerenavanderWoodsen-xw5ve 6 ай бұрын

Ryan was literally back to his old habits beating people and literally almost killing volchock

@0104brit 6 ай бұрын

@@SerenavanderWoodsen-xw5ve Clearly you forgot that storyline. The entire point was him stopping himself from going back to his old ways...which he did. It was only brought back up because Volchock cheated on Marissa...that was Ryan protecting her

@SerenavanderWoodsen-xw5ve 6 ай бұрын

@@0104brit he clearly did not?? He almost killed volchok which led to volchok blackmailing him into stealing a car for him (hello s1)???? Then he had to call marissa for help when shes already turning it around and actually comes back from helping out her sis in boarding school???? Lol???? And dont give me “thats for protecting marissa” ryans responsible for his own actions and a woman is NOT responsible for a man beating someone up thats just him not being able to control his anger issues maybe get some therapy

@0104brit 6 ай бұрын

@@SerenavanderWoodsen-xw5ve And how did he get in Volchok's radar in the first place....Johnny! Because of who...Marissa! No one is blaming a woman, it's about growth and responsibility. Ryan has always gone out of his way to protect the people around him, including Marissa. Hence why Teresa got mad at him for even giving into Volchok in the first place, and leaving that life behind. Which is why by the end of the series he becomes an architect...it's a full circle storyline. Sorry if the storyline is too complex for you too understand 😛

@queenb7013 6 ай бұрын

Marissa had so much trauma and I hate how it's all swept under the rug

@angelaholmes8888 6 ай бұрын

Yeah the writers should had shown her trying to cope or deal with her trauma instead of burying it

@bmagada 4 ай бұрын

Thats because a metric shit ton of it was self inflicted.

@amigadecachorros 6 ай бұрын

I don’t think this channel understands the thirst for OC content. To this day.

@CarrCab 6 ай бұрын

As much as I do really, really like season 4 and it is an improvement on seasons 2 and 3, and I enjoyed Ryan and Taylor's relationship, the true ending of The O.C. will always be season 3. Marissa's death, while tragic, fits the theme of the show and IMO was a great sendoff for Mischa Barton. If you wanna leave, go out big. And they went out huge with her, to the point I'm still gagged every time I watch it or even think about it or that song almost 20 years later.

@zydratehore 6 ай бұрын

I’m in literal tears, because Marissa has always been my favorite character. I related to her so much now as an adult I realize why it’s because I saw myself in her and just like her I wanna be happy, and I refuse to settle for anything less than true happiness, and lovebecause I deserve it just as much as she did

@mariaskabardonis8353 6 ай бұрын

I loved Julie’s character development on the show

@amigadecachorros 6 ай бұрын

I miss Julie

@bluedragon4168 6 ай бұрын

Ew. She sleeps with her daughter's ex

@mariaskabardonis8353 6 ай бұрын

Gay Dad triumphs slutty mom in teen problems lol. It’s what I mean by character development she didn’t always make great decisions but she grew a lot from that and faced a lot of consequences. I wish she didn’t sleep with Luke but older woman younger man were dumb edgy plots in the early 2000s

@MarnieGolde7 6 ай бұрын

@@bluedragon4168 It’s a teen soap opera. All things expected, she definitely had positive growth.

@PeaceLovePaperbacks 6 ай бұрын

Marissa was a layered dark complicated young woman. Which is why she related to ryan. I loved this overview of Marissa things were finally headed in a positive direction for her before it fell apart.

@AstroSully 5 ай бұрын

The saddest thing is she was never written to overcome those challenges like Ryan. Ryan's life was on a uphill trajectory from the start. Marissa's was going downhill.

@katherinealvarez9216 6 ай бұрын

Now talk about how Summer has Princess Sparkles and Seth has Captain Oats.

@SuryanshiAgrawal 6 ай бұрын

I would really love a video examining Rebecca Bunch from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. CXG is truly one of the best shows I have ever seen and Rebecca is such a nuanced character. Other video ideas- A video primarily examining the emo, damaged girl from the wrong side of the tracks trope through the lens of Maeve Wiley. A video discussing characters descent into madness like Tom Ripley from The Talented Mr. Ripley or you know the best example the joker.

@loiracitr 6 ай бұрын

CXG really deserves more video essays

@J2thePower0f3 6 ай бұрын

ALWAYS here for Marissa commentary. Truly a tragic character worth revisiting ❤️ I was so excited when she went on the OC podcast and shared her insight from the time to now.

@mariaskabardonis8353 6 ай бұрын

Yay a video on Marissa just like I suggested. I do wish she had lived but as a lit major I do like that her death was done by her tragic flaw of falling and trying to fix every bad boy it’s smart writing

@vidhigupta7988 6 ай бұрын

please do summer roberts next ..she had so much character development

@trinaq 6 ай бұрын

I remember watching Marissa's death scene, and being heartbroken that they'd killed her off, after she was getting a fresh start. Even Mischa was upset that they'd chosen to kill her, stating that was why the final season tanked.

@esikazemese 6 ай бұрын

I loved the final season.

@karinalumen9722 6 ай бұрын

Your comment literally goes against what was said in the video. Mischa wanted out

@AstroSully 5 ай бұрын

Her character was written to smithereens it's no surprise. Also Josh Schwartz has stated that his biggest regret is killing off her character. She still had no say until they chose to make that decision. @@karinalumen9722

@thatmessy132 6 ай бұрын

The 'Poor Little Rich Girls' has struggles, yes, but she also usually has the resources to end them. It's like Kerry Washington says in Big Little fires, her success doesn't come from making good choices, but having good choices.

@user-sr2xf9ic1v 6 ай бұрын

yup

@SerenavanderWoodsen-xw5ve 6 ай бұрын

Thats cause the writers favored rachel bilson (summer) more and left marissa to only have scenes where shes staring into space instead of actual scenes where she does something. Its sad tbh. Its a waste for her doing the show

@melodyclark1944 6 ай бұрын

What, like pay her parents to stay together?

@thatmessy132 6 ай бұрын

@melodyclark1944 like get therapy to deal with your feelings about the divorce.

@melodyclark1944 6 ай бұрын

@@thatmessy132 I don't think her mom would be big on the idea of therapy

@mwahha6965 3 ай бұрын

Marissa is such an iconic it girl - always given the most tragic plot lines, I’ve really come to appreciate her. The show without her lacked any darkness, in a way she symbolised the darker side of the oc and teen life perfectly, mental health substance abuse, s3xual assault, sexual identity, and being lost most of the time, while everyone thought she was a pretty face

@firegirl_lanae 6 ай бұрын

Watching The O.C. as an adult, I just wanted someone to give her a warm meal and a hug.

@Yeodoongiiie 6 ай бұрын

i always thought of her as DEEPLY depressed and su!cidal... but trying to keep going... she couldn't get out of thinking her small world, was all there was. that even IF she had a horrible mother, she had a great friend and boyfriend... she chose to look to the bad sides. almost to the point like she had a mental illness. she kind of seemed bipolar at times. or maybe it was just that she was an alcoholic. but no matter her cosntant drama, i LOVED her. she was my first girl crush but i can't say she was a good role model. she made me feel like being more reckless. when you are 13 and see her overdose, and is always drunk, that's the part that stays and influence you. all the moments she is happy, almost seemed forced and fake. she was deeply troubled indeed.

@SerenavanderWoodsen-xw5ve 6 ай бұрын

I hate how each time Marissa actually wants to help those people, being the good-hearted she is, the writers twist it and make it about Ryan being right about those guys. Like all she wants to do at first is help those guys, be there. If she was a brunette aka brooke davis, it’d be just a sweet gesture. I hate the writers so much for villainizing her all the time and favoring ryan like hes not the most boring character who punches people?

@tanjamilenkovic1917 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this video!

@Adikova97 6 ай бұрын

I literally started watching this show for the first time since it aired a few days ago. Great timing haha

@animal245533 6 ай бұрын

Never seen the OC, but really enjoyed this breakdown. I was genuinely surprised when she died. Hope you do more!

@NewhamMatt 6 ай бұрын

When she first showed up on Neighbours this year, I didn't even recognise Mischa Barton. I suddenly realised I hadn't seen her since the days of the OC. She used to be on the cover of every magazine at my local newsagency, and then she just disappeared.

@angelaholmes8888 6 ай бұрын

Sadly micha career basically tanked after she left the o.c

@ashe1317 6 ай бұрын

man, this shot me straight back to freshman year 😆 what a wild ride, The OC... Californiaaaaaa... here we coooOOOOOOOOME

@emojidog7460 6 ай бұрын

I watched the oc for the first time this year and I loved it so this is the perfect end of the year! ❤

@trinketmage8145 6 ай бұрын

It's amusing to me that the actress was just cast in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, where she plays a poor little rich girl all grown up.

@femininehighdive 6 ай бұрын

Marissa always had my heart ❤️

@obsidianl9203 6 ай бұрын

Poor Marissa, I always thought she was so misunderstood and was treated harshly.

@dylancooper3690 6 ай бұрын

"except maybe Oliver." LOL me too

@arisolisB 6 ай бұрын

💖 Wishing everybody a great 2024🌷✨

@Lara-we1ww 3 ай бұрын

Mischa played off being mean better than Rachel tbh, she convinced me more every time the writers gave us very little scenes of that. And with the whole supposedly Marissa/Taylor rivalry with social chair, makes me wish Marissa was the mean girl. That said, I don't want her to be that "mean", maybe just Brooke Davis mean.

@tylerwatkins2923 6 ай бұрын

Do the lonely bored rich kid trope

@Pinkladyisv 6 ай бұрын

Yes! I miss the trope videos.

@shehulkgolding2206 6 ай бұрын

If they ever do bring the show back they should reveal that Marissa is alive.

@Pinkladyisv 6 ай бұрын

I hope you will do other OC characters as well!

@smurfyday 6 ай бұрын

How about an episode on the s3 finale for Charmed? I never watched The OC but sounds like a similar tale. And s3 finale of The Mentalist. Different kind of show, but omg. Hmm, is there something to s3 finales?

@greyLeicester 6 ай бұрын

I was always a Rachel Bilson fan 😂😂

@kerrajohnson3203 6 ай бұрын

That clip of Mischa on the Zoom call... She's looking very different nowadays.

@JadedJassy21 6 ай бұрын

The actress career never really went anywhere post this show.

@dumfriesspearhead7398 6 ай бұрын

No it didn't and looking at what happened during and after the OC, it's not hard to see why.

@mariaskabardonis8353 6 ай бұрын

@@dumfriesspearhead7398 It’s why I believe when you’re on a tv show you should stay till it ends unless you have something lined up. Acting is not a steady business

@dumfriesspearhead7398 6 ай бұрын

@@mariaskabardonis8353 She didn't want her character to leave the show. She also had issues in her private life. She seems to have been unfairly pilloried.

@AstroSully 5 ай бұрын

She went through alot of hardship after gaining fame. Very sad if you read into it. Glad she's doing fine now.

@mwahha6965 3 ай бұрын

Much like the character she had some troubles, the media in those days were very harsh

@drrydog 5 ай бұрын

the actress who played her died IRL? wow.. just found out

@pikachick222 6 ай бұрын

I think you’re just looking at The OC as if it’s a Gen Z tv show (where everything a character does has some Freudian excuse attached to it. (Dear Nate Jacob’s accidentally stumbling upon your dad’s porno vids is not an excuse to beat the shit out of your girlfriend) Or the whole main cast are treated like sympathetic victims all the damn time!) Yes Marissa had “problems”… So Ryan. The difference is Ryan to some extent was forced to put himself on the right path while Marissa had the luxury of making bad choices.

@pikachick222 6 ай бұрын

Bottom line: this felt you were trying to defend a problematic character.

@belcardozo417 3 ай бұрын

I'm a bit disappointed you didn't mention her relationship with Alex

@AstroSully 5 ай бұрын

Can't emphasize enough on how badly her character was handled. She had little to no development. Every chaotic and dramatic plotlines ran through her character. It was just non stop explosion after explosion that became very exhausting. The show went downhill after season 1 due to this reason. It's absolutely no surprise Josh Schwartz the Show's creator biggest regret was killing her off. The magic of the OC died when they tried to make everything "shocking" and adding drama for the sake of ratings. There was no redeeming value and sincerity in the essence of the show that we all came to love in season 1. It's also ironically tragic on how Mischa herself was going through many difficulties and challenges during her time as Marissa. She deserved better and the show went downhill when her character was assassinated and never given any sustenance with the endless brain rotting bombshell spectacles post season 1.

@jamescarr1265 Ай бұрын

Yes what a terrible character it was honestly so cynical and depressing

@katherinealvarez9216 6 ай бұрын

Marissa 😭

@Babyblue115 6 ай бұрын

I have some movies that you guys need to review: Cashback and American Pie for their misogony

@averygriffith4199 6 ай бұрын

please more oc content 🙏🏼🙏🏼

@raquelrodrigues8684 6 ай бұрын

mischa did a terrifc job portraying her. I kinda liked her character but it was ruined because she's too good, too perfect. it's annoying. I would love to see her fighting for her freedom. Plus, the julie character is so romantized. she should be punished for all the harm she did in the show and not just eding with a diploma.

@victorgaetefigueroa4921 4 ай бұрын

Always love marissa ❤

@liviaglam 5 ай бұрын

Serena van der Woodsen looks like Marissa sometimes .

@robincastro6000 6 ай бұрын

Marissa dies from domestic violence?? I did not catch that as a teen

@gorettnabuco5264 6 ай бұрын

Car crash. If I remember correctly... But I think you can label it domestic violence. *watching the video felt the need to edit my response.

@mariaskabardonis8353 6 ай бұрын

I would labeled more drunk ex who couldn’t take no for an answer. Marissa had a tendency to fall for every bad boy thinking she can fix them which is why I stopped shipping her and Ryan. Cause she viewed more like a project. Volcheck was the tragic end to her pattern

@robincastro6000 6 ай бұрын

@@mariaskabardonis8353 i would categorize a drunk ex who "cant take no for an answer" that crashes their car into you as abusive. attacking your previously romantic partner bc she broke up with you is domestic violence, with or without a car.

@lovecraftianleviathan8918 6 ай бұрын

Nah. “Poor little rich girl” sums her up nicely.

@luisamasera2364 4 ай бұрын

how? she had a narcissist mother and an absent father, her family bankrupted, her long term boyfriend cheated on her, she was sexually assaulted, eventually her father abandoned her… the girl went to so much traumatic experiences she literally couldn’t catch a break! she was just a teenager trying to cope with no support